configure: error: C compiler cannot create executables

I've checked a number of similar questions on stackoverflow but haven't found an answer yet.

I'm trying to install memcached on Lion OSX as shown here.

Here's what I'm getting:

j-court-demones-macbook-pro:libevent-1.4.12-stable jcourtdemone$ ./configure; make
checking for a BSD-compatible install... /usr/bin/install -c
checking whether build environment is sane... yes
checking for a thread-safe mkdir -p... ./install-sh -c -d
checking for gawk... no
checking for mawk... no
checking for nawk... no
checking for awk... awk
checking whether make sets $(MAKE)... yes
checking for gcc... gcc
checking for C compiler default output file name... 
configure: error: in `/tmp/libevent-1.4.12-stable':
configure: error: C compiler cannot create executables
See `config.log' for more details.
make: *** No targets specified and no makefile found.  Stop.

I've reinstalled Xcode as was recommended in a couple places, but no dice.

Here's my config.log:

This file contains any messages produced by compilers while
running configure, to aid debugging if configure makes a mistake.

It was created by configure, which was
generated by GNU Autoconf 2.63.  Invocation command line was

  $ ./configure 

## --------- ##
## Platform. ##
## --------- ##

hostname = j-court-demones-macbook-pro.local
uname -m = x86_64
uname -r = 11.3.0
uname -s = Darwin
uname -v = Darwin Kernel Version 11.3.0: Thu Jan 12 18:47:41 PST 2012; root:xnu-1699.24.23~1/RELEASE_X86_64

/usr/bin/uname -p = i386
/bin/uname -X     = unknown

/bin/arch              = unknown
/usr/bin/arch -k       = unknown
/usr/convex/getsysinfo = unknown
/usr/bin/hostinfo      = Mach kernel version:
	 Darwin Kernel Version 11.3.0: Thu Jan 12 18:47:41 PST 2012; root:xnu-1699.24.23~1/RELEASE_X86_64
Kernel configured for up to 8 processors.
4 processors are physically available.
8 processors are logically available.
Processor type: i486 (Intel 80486)
Processors active: 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Primary memory available: 4.00 gigabytes
Default processor set: 109 tasks, 599 threads, 8 processors
Load average: 0.98, Mach factor: 7.01
/bin/machine           = unknown
/usr/bin/oslevel       = unknown
/bin/universe          = unknown

PATH: /opt/local/bin
PATH: /opt/local/sbin
PATH: /opt/local/bin
PATH: /opt/local/sbin
PATH: /usr/bin
PATH: /Developer/usr/bin
PATH: /usr/bin
PATH: /bin
PATH: /usr/sbin
PATH: /sbin
PATH: /usr/local/bin
PATH: /usr/X11/bin


## ----------- ##
## Core tests. ##
## ----------- ##

configure:2077: checking for a BSD-compatible install
configure:2145: result: /usr/bin/install -c
configure:2156: checking whether build environment is sane
configure:2199: result: yes
configure:2224: checking for a thread-safe mkdir -p
configure:2263: result: ./install-sh -c -d
configure:2276: checking for gawk
configure:2306: result: no
configure:2276: checking for mawk
configure:2306: result: no
configure:2276: checking for nawk
configure:2306: result: no
configure:2276: checking for awk
configure:2292: found /usr/bin/awk
configure:2303: result: awk
configure:2314: checking whether make sets $(MAKE)
configure:2336: result: yes
configure:2575: checking for gcc
configure:2591: found /Developer/usr/bin/gcc
configure:2602: result: gcc
configure:2834: checking for C compiler version
configure:2842: gcc --version >&5
i686-apple-darwin9-gcc-4.0.1 (GCC) 4.0.1 (Apple Inc. build 5484)
Copyright (C) 2005 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is NO
warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

configure:2846: $? = 0
configure:2853: gcc -v >&5
Using built-in specs.
Target: i686-apple-darwin9
Configured with: /var/tmp/gcc/gcc-5484~1/src/configure --disable-checking -enable-werror --prefix=/usr --mandir=/share/man --enable-languages=c,objc,c++,obj-c++ --program-transform-name=/^[cg][^.-]*$/s/$/-4.0/ --with-gxx-include-dir=/include/c++/4.0.0 --with-slibdir=/usr/lib --build=i686-apple-darwin9 --with-arch=apple --with-tune=generic --host=i686-apple-darwin9 --target=i686-apple-darwin9
Thread model: posix
gcc version 4.0.1 (Apple Inc. build 5484)
configure:2857: $? = 0
configure:2864: gcc -V >&5
gcc-4.0: argument to `-V' is missing
configure:2868: $? = 1
configure:2891: checking for C compiler default output file name
configure:2913: gcc    conftest.c  >&5
ld: library not found for -lcrt1.10.5.o
collect2: ld returned 1 exit status
configure:2917: $? = 1
configure:2955: result: 
configure: failed program was:
| /* confdefs.h.  */
| #define PACKAGE_NAME ""
| #define PACKAGE_TARNAME ""
| #define PACKAGE_VERSION ""
| #define PACKAGE_STRING ""
| #define PACKAGE_BUGREPORT ""
| #define PACKAGE "libevent"
| #define VERSION "1.4.12-stable"
| /* end confdefs.h.  */
| 
| int
| main ()
| {
| 
|   ;
|   return 0;
| }
configure:2961: error: in `/tmp/libevent-1.4.12-stable':
configure:2964: error: C compiler cannot create executables
See `config.log' for more details.

## ---------------- ##
## Cache variables. ##
## ---------------- ##

ac_cv_env_CCC_set=
ac_cv_env_CCC_value=
ac_cv_env_CC_set=
ac_cv_env_CC_value=
ac_cv_env_CFLAGS_set=
ac_cv_env_CFLAGS_value=
ac_cv_env_CPPFLAGS_set=
ac_cv_env_CPPFLAGS_value=
ac_cv_env_CPP_set=
ac_cv_env_CPP_value=
ac_cv_env_CXXCPP_set=
ac_cv_env_CXXCPP_value=
ac_cv_env_CXXFLAGS_set=
ac_cv_env_CXXFLAGS_value=
ac_cv_env_CXX_set=
ac_cv_env_CXX_value=
ac_cv_env_F77_set=
ac_cv_env_F77_value=
ac_cv_env_FFLAGS_set=
ac_cv_env_FFLAGS_value=
ac_cv_env_LDFLAGS_set=
ac_cv_env_LDFLAGS_value=
ac_cv_env_LIBS_set=
ac_cv_env_LIBS_value=
ac_cv_env_build_alias_set=
ac_cv_env_build_alias_value=
ac_cv_env_host_alias_set=
ac_cv_env_host_alias_value=
ac_cv_env_target_alias_set=
ac_cv_env_target_alias_value=
ac_cv_path_install='/usr/bin/install -c'
ac_cv_prog_AWK=awk
ac_cv_prog_ac_ct_CC=gcc
ac_cv_prog_make_make_set=yes

## ----------------- ##
## Output variables. ##
## ----------------- ##

ACLOCAL='${SHELL} /tmp/libevent-1.4.12-stable/missing --run aclocal-1.10'
AMDEPBACKSLASH=''
AMDEP_FALSE=''
AMDEP_TRUE=''
AMTAR='${SHELL} /tmp/libevent-1.4.12-stable/missing --run tar'
AR=''
AUTOCONF='${SHELL} /tmp/libevent-1.4.12-stable/missing --run autoconf'
AUTOHEADER='${SHELL} /tmp/libevent-1.4.12-stable/missing --run autoheader'
AUTOMAKE='${SHELL} /tmp/libevent-1.4.12-stable/missing --run automake-1.10'
AWK='awk'
BUILD_WIN32_FALSE=''
BUILD_WIN32_TRUE=''
CC='gcc'
CCDEPMODE=''
CFLAGS=''
CPP=''
CPPFLAGS=''
CXX=''
CXXCPP=''
CXXDEPMODE=''
CXXFLAGS=''
CYGPATH_W='echo'
DEFS=''
DEPDIR=''
DSYMUTIL=''
ECHO='/bin/echo'
ECHO_C='\c'
ECHO_N=''
ECHO_T=''
EGREP=''
EXEEXT=''
F77=''
FFLAGS=''
GREP=''
INSTALL_DATA='${INSTALL} -m 644'
INSTALL_PROGRAM='${INSTALL}'
INSTALL_SCRIPT='${INSTALL}'
INSTALL_STRIP_PROGRAM='$(install_sh) -c -s'
LDFLAGS=''
LIBOBJS=''
LIBS=''
LIBTOOL=''
LIBTOOL_DEPS=''
LN_S=''
LTLIBOBJS=''
MAKEINFO='${SHELL} /tmp/libevent-1.4.12-stable/missing --run makeinfo'
MKDIR_P='./install-sh -c -d'
NMEDIT=''
OBJEXT=''
PACKAGE='libevent'
PACKAGE_BUGREPORT=''
PACKAGE_NAME=''
PACKAGE_STRING=''
PACKAGE_TARNAME=''
PACKAGE_VERSION=''
PATH_SEPARATOR=':'
RANLIB=''
SED=''
SET_MAKE=''
SHELL='/bin/sh'
STRIP=''
VERSION='1.4.12-stable'
ac_ct_CC='gcc'
ac_ct_CXX=''
ac_ct_F77=''
am__fastdepCC_FALSE=''
am__fastdepCC_TRUE=''
am__fastdepCXX_FALSE=''
am__fastdepCXX_TRUE=''
am__include=''
am__isrc=''
am__leading_dot='.'
am__quote=''
am__tar='${AMTAR} chof - "$$tardir"'
am__untar='${AMTAR} xf -'
bindir='${exec_prefix}/bin'
build=''
build_alias=''
build_cpu=''
build_os=''
build_vendor=''
datadir='${datarootdir}'
datarootdir='${prefix}/share'
docdir='${datarootdir}/doc/${PACKAGE}'
dvidir='${docdir}'
exec_prefix='NONE'
host=''
host_alias=''
host_cpu=''
host_os=''
host_vendor=''
htmldir='${docdir}'
includedir='${prefix}/include'
infodir='${datarootdir}/info'
install_sh='$(SHELL) /tmp/libevent-1.4.12-stable/install-sh'
libdir='${exec_prefix}/lib'
libexecdir='${exec_prefix}/libexec'
localedir='${datarootdir}/locale'
localstatedir='${prefix}/var'
mandir='${datarootdir}/man'
mkdir_p='$(top_builddir)/./install-sh -c -d'
oldincludedir='/usr/include'
pdfdir='${docdir}'
prefix='/usr/local'
program_transform_name='s,x,x,'
psdir='${docdir}'
sbindir='${exec_prefix}/sbin'
sharedstatedir='${prefix}/com'
sysconfdir='${prefix}/etc'
target_alias=''

## ----------- ##
## confdefs.h. ##
## ----------- ##

#define PACKAGE_NAME ""
#define PACKAGE_TARNAME ""
#define PACKAGE_VERSION ""
#define PACKAGE_STRING ""
#define PACKAGE_BUGREPORT ""
#define PACKAGE "libevent"
#define VERSION "1.4.12-stable"

configure: exit 77

I have 10.8 installed and Xcode 4.4 with Command Line tools, and yet I was still getting this error. Rather than reinstall Xcode, I noticed there were two relevant lines in my config.log:

configure:5130: checking for C compiler version
configure:5139: /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/OSX10.8.xctoolchain/usr/bin/cc --version >&5

That path did not exist for me. Instead I had:

/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain

The C compiler ("cc") is located inside of that xctoolchain directory. I created a symlink for OSX10.8.xctoolchain to point to XcodeDefault.xctoolchain and that fixed it. Now the memcached installation script can find the compiler version and continue on its way.

cd /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains
sudo ln -s XcodeDefault.xctoolchain OSX10.8.xctoolchain

As suggested in the comments, if you are having this problem on Yosemite (10.10) or Mavericks (10.9), you can update the symlink command above to point to that specific version (OSX10.9.xctoolchain or OSX10.10.xctoolchain).

You have an old set of developer tools. gcc is reporting its version as 4.0.1. This may be left over from migrating from an older version of the OS. If you've installed Xcode 4.3.x, you need to launch it, go into its preferences, select the Locations tab, and click "Install" next to the Command Line Tools package.

When you see this error message, you might not have accepted the Xcode license agreement yet after an upgrade.

First of all, make sure you have upgraded your commandline tools:

$ xcode-select --install

Now Apple wants you to agree to their license before you can use these tools:

$ gcc
Agreeing to the Xcode/iOS license requires admin privileges, please re-run as root via sudo.

$ sudo gcc
You have not agreed to the Xcode license agreements. You must agree to both license agreements below in order to use Xcode.
[...]

After you have accepted it, the commandline tools will work as expected.

I had already installed the command line tools in xcode but I mine still errored out on:

line 3619: /usr/bin/gcc-4.2: No such file or directory

When I entered which gcc it returned

/usr/bin/gcc

When I entered gcc -v I got a bunch of stuff then

..  
gcc version 4.2.1 (Based on Apple Inc. build 5658) (LLVM build 2336.11.00)

So I created a symlink:

cd /usr/bin
sudo ln -s gcc gcc-4.2

And it worked!

(the config.log file is located in the directory that make is trying to build something in)

I just had this issue building apache. The solution I used was the same as Mostafa, I had to export 2 variables:

export CC=/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/bin/cc
CPP='/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/bin/cc -E'

This was one Mac OSX Mavericks

First get the gcc path using

> Command: which gcc > > Output: /usr/bin/gcc

I had the same issue, Please set the gcc path in below command and install

> CC=/usr/bin/gcc rvm install 1.9.3

Later if you get "Ruby was built without documentation" run below command

> rvm docs generate-ri

For me it was a problem with gcc, highlighted by gcc -v. It was down to upgrading Xcode recently this post said to do sudo xcode-select -switch /Applications/Xcode.app which fixed the issue.

Setting 'clang' as the compiler configure should use worked for me:

export CC=clang
pip install --no-clean pycrypto

I furiously read all of this page, hoping to find a solution for:

"configure: error: C compiler cannot create executables"

In the end nothing worked, because my problem was a "typing" one, and was related to CFLAGS. In my .bash_profile file I had:

export ARM_ARCH="arm64”
export CFLAGS="-arch ${ARM_ARCH}"

As you can observe --- export ARM_ARCH="arm64” --- the last quote sign is not the same with the first quote sign. The first one ( " ) is legal while the second one ( ” ) is not.
This happended because I made the mistake to use TextEdit (I'm working under MacOS), and this is apparently a feature called SmartQuotes: the quote sign CHANGES BY ITSELF TO THE ILLEGAL STYLE whenever you edit something just next to it.
Lesson learned: use a proper text editor...

If anyone is coming here because RVM / Ruby is creating issues (Middleman/Grunt) I've solved my issue.

PS. The answer by steroscott fixed my issue a while back...this time around not the case.

In my case rvm is trying to use a downloaded gcc via homebrew. I ran a brew uninstall of gcc (gcc46 for me) and reran the code for the ruby installation (old project old ruby v)

$ brew uninstall gcc46

$ rvm install 1.9.3

during that process of checking for requirements it automatically fetched a newer gcc for me and boom, all is working now. Oh a big note, the gcc install from the rvm command can take around 10-15 minutes without throwing out any text, it's not frozen :) Good luck

I just had this issue building react-native app when I try to install Pod. I had to export 2 variables:

export CC=/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/bin/cc
CPP='/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/bin/cc -E'

In my case, I tried xcode-select --install but it says that it's not available from the store. Then, inspired by Rimian, I checked my gcc : gcc -v and then I got a message saying I did not aggreed.

From that point I just followed the agreement process from gcc -v, after I agreed it works fine for me.

Make sure there are no spaces in your Xcode application name (can happen if you keep older versions around - for example renaming it 'Xcode 4.app'); build tools will be referenced within the Xcode bundle paths, and many scripts can't handle references with spaces properly.

About clang iOS cross-compiler

I've found that the problem was at miphoneos-version-min=5.0 . I've changed into miphoneos-version-min=8.0 . Now it works.

I just want suggest to use create a simple test.c file and compile it by the command write in the log.

Ensures the path to Xcode.app bundle is without space or strange characters. I have Xcode installed in ~/Downloads/Last Dev Tools/ folder, so with spaces and renaming the folder to LastDevTools fixed this (after resetting xcode-select -p though)

Check where your clang is located:

which clang

It should be somewhere under /usr/bin/clang. In my case from old times it was coming from Miniconda that was put artificially on the command line PATH. Fix that so that clang comes from Xcode and that should bring you forward.